The word ‘swastika’ comes from the ancient Indian language of Sanskrit, and means ‘good fortune’ or ‘well-being’. The swastika symbol has been used by Hindus, Buddhists, and Jains for millennia, and is still a sacred symbol for those religions. The symbol has also been found to have existed in ancient Europe, appearing on artifacts in pre-Christian cultures. In the 19th century the symbol experienced a resurgence, with European scholars believing the symbol was linked to “a shared Aryan culture that spanned Europe and Asia”. By the beginning of the 20th century the swastika was widely used in Europe, and was often used as a symbol of good luck.
After the First World War, several far-right nationalist movements adopted the swastika, using it as a symbol of a racially “pure” state. The German Nazi Party adopted the swastika as the symbol of their party, using it on the flag of the Third Reich. As a result, the meaning of the swastika has changed for many, and it is now considered – in Western cultures – as a sign of oppression and hate, inextricably linked to the atrocities committed under the Third Reich.
Sources: United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Holocaust Encyclopedia, The History of the Swastika (accessed online 18/03/2025); Wikipedia, ‘Swastika’ (accessed online 18/03/2025)
This is part of the Job: 2K/23771 Richmond Castle, Richmond, North Yorkshire; within the Volume: VF000317 Richmond Castle, Richmond, North Yorkshire; within the Series: EHC01/002 Eh Architectural Requests; within the Collection: EHC01 English Heritage(Eh):Archive
© Historic England Archive
Photographer: Bull, Alun: English Heritage
Graffito, Castle, Cell